Under the guidance of Akhilesh Yadav, the President of the Samajwadi Party and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, a 15-member delegation is set to visit Sambhal today. This delegation aims to gather information related to the violence that erupted on November 24 during a court-ordered survey at Jama Masjid. Sambhal enforces a ban on gatherings of more than five people and prohibits any processions or demonstrations.
The administration is making efforts to restrain SP leaders within their residences and districts. Police are stationed outside the Lucknow residence of Leader of the Opposition, Mata Prasad Pandey. The District Magistrate of Sambhal had issued a notice to Pandey under Section 163 of the Indian Citizens’ Security Code (BNSS) and urged him not to visit the district.
According to Pandey’s declared schedule, he plans a meeting with SP leaders in Bareilly before heading to Sambhal. However, the police force intends to prevent his travel to Sambhal. Senior SP leaders assert their right to travel without restriction, questioning the need for police intervention. They plan to strategize their next moves. Ruchi Vora, SP MP from Moradabad, expressed that justice for victims is unattainable until the responsible officials face consequences.
Akhilesh Yadav, through a post on X, criticized the imposition of bans as a failure of the BJP’s governance. He suggested that proactive bans on those inciting riots would have maintained harmony in Sambhal. He called for a complete administrative overhaul in Sambhal, advocating for suspensions and legal proceedings against officials accused of negligence. He signaled BJP's loss in this regard.
The 15 Leaders of the SP Delegation
The SP delegation includes Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Mata Prasad Pandey, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Lal Bihari Yadav, SP State President Shyamlal Pal, MP from Muzaffarnagar Harendra Malik, Moradabad MP Ruchi Vira, Kairana MP Ikra Hasan, Sambhal MP Ziaur Rahman Barq, Aonla MP Neeraj Maurya, MLA Kamal Akhtar, Ravidas Mehrotra, Nawab Iqbal Mehmood, and Pinky Singh Yadav, Sambhal District President Asgar Ali Ansari, Moradabad District President Jaiveer Singh Yadav, and Bareilly District President Shivcharan Kashyap.
In light of stone-pelting incidents during the Jama Masjid survey on November 24, stringent security measures have been implemented throughout Sambhal. Police, PAC, and RFF personnel are deployed across the district. The Supreme Court directed the Sambhal trial court to halt proceedings against the Shahi Jama Masjid and advised the mosque committee to appeal to the Allahabad High Court. The mosque committee had filed a petition in the Supreme Court to cancel the survey orders.
The SP leaders plan to meet victims and prepare a report for submission to Akhilesh Yadav. Commissioner Anjaney Kumar Singh of Moradabad remarked on the imposition of prohibitory orders in Sambhal, cautioning that political visits could disrupt established peace. The judicial commission investigating the Sambhal violence is scheduled to visit Moradabad and will converse with Commissioner Singh about the events. The commission will then proceed to Sambhal and inspect the affected areas with district and police officials.
A Judicial Commission Formed for Sambhal Violence Investigation
The violence on November 24 in Sambhal has stirred political discourse nationwide. Accusations range from violent mobs causing chaos to questions on police-administration conduct. The incident resulted in four deaths and injured over 20 policemen. To determine the precise causes and identify involved parties, the UP government has established a judicial commission led by retired judge Justice Devendra Kumar Arora.
Commission's Report Due in Two Months
Justice Devendra Kumar Arora, a retired judge of the Allahabad High Court, heads the commission with retired IAS officers Amit Mohan Prasad and Arvind Kumar Jain as members. They will investigate whether the event was premeditated or spontaneous and assess the police and district administrative actions following the incident. The commission is expected to submit its findings within two months.
